Trunk catch or fastener



(No Model.) l

G. H. BLAKESLEY..

TRUNK GATCH OR FASTENER. No. 325 234. Patenfced Sept. l, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATE T FFICE.

GILBERT H. BLAKESLEY, F BRISTOL, ASSIGNOR TO THE CORBIN CABINET LOGK COMPANY, OF NE\V BRITAIN, CONNEU'IHlUT.

OR FASTENER.

SPECIFIC'ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325234, dated September l, 1885.

Application filed June E, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT H. BLAKES- LEY, of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk Catches or Fasteners; and I do hereby dcclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains [O to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in trunk eatches or fasteners, the, object being to provide a trunk-fastener that shall be composed of few parte, and adapted to be manu- 5 faetured at a small initial cost and capable of being rigidly fastened against acoidental displacement when in use.

lNith these ends in View my invention consists, essentially, of a trunk-fastener composed of two plates, one plate being provided with a locking tang or projectin or recess, and the other provided with a hinged hasp or loop, and with a spring-aetuated catch or loop arranged to rigidly secure the hasp or loop against accidental displacement.

In the accompauying drawings, Figure l is a plan View of my improved trnnk-laste'er, showing the parts in their fastened position. Fig. 2 is a similar View illnstrating the positon of the parts when in their unfastenecl position. Fig. 3 is a Vertical section of the (levce.

A represents a plate adapted to be fastened to the lid of a trunk, and B a plate to be se- 5 cured to the body of the trunk, though the parts may be reversed, if desrec. Plate A is forned with dowels a, which enter sockets bin the upper edge of plate B, for the purpose of interlocking the two plates when the 0 lid is fastened to the body, and thus prevent any endwise movement ot' the trunk-lid on the body, and thereby relieve the trunk-lock and the fastener loops or hasps from undue latcral strains. Plate A is also const'ucted with a,

downwardly-projeeiing tang, C, made rigid or integral therewith, the lower end of the tang having a projeetion, c, formed thereon, Tang C extends downwardly and engages the seat fol-med between the sockets I on plate B.

On plate B is fol-med a hollow box or projection, D, which may be east integral with the (No model.)

plate or StI'llCk up from sheet metal, or may be made separate therefrom and Secured in place by rivets. On the rear face of the box or projection are cast the lugs d, formng a central sl ot, e, within which is placed the stem c' of a bolt, E, the bcveled end f of which projects through a hole, g, formed 111 the upper end of the projection. A spiral spring, F, encirclcs the stem of the bolt, one end ot the to spring engaging the lngs (7 and the opposte end engaging a shoulder, u, on the stem of the bolt, whereby the bolt is forced outwar dly by the spring. The lower end of the bolt s provided with an arm, i, that extends through an elongatcd slot, 'i', forned in the npper or outer wall of the box or projection, that portion of the arm that projects through the slot being enla-ged and sitnated within a depressed re cess, j, so that it may be readily operated by the finger, and yet be protected by the raised Walls around the depression within whichthe projeeting arm of the bolt is located s a loop or hasp, the cross-bar I.: of which s lnnged within a groovcd hearing, l, .fol-med n the lower end of plate B. The loop is made oi a single piece, and may be formed of cast or wroughtmetal, and is passed over the lower end of the plate and then turned so as to place its cross-bar k within the grooved hearing l. So The free end ot' the loop is formed with an opening, H, within which is received the projcotion c on the rigid tang C, and s also provided with a cross-bar, m, with which engages the springactuated bolt or catch. When the fastener is in its unlocked position, the loop s thi-own over into the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and when it is desired to effect a fastening the loop is turned upward and over against the bcveled end of the bolt, causing the latter to retract and allow the cross-bar to ride over the bcveled end of the bolt, when the spring will force the bolt ouiwardl y into the 'position illustrated in Figs. l and 3 and rigidly lock the loop against accidental disphcemont. l"his Construction ol' irnnk-ifistener is strong and dnrablein its nannfacture, oceupies but little space, and insures a firm and reliahle fastening, and is easily manipulated in fastening or unfastening the lid.

It is evident that many slight changes might he made in the form relative arinngenent,

and in the Construction of the different paris of the fzstener without departing from the spirit of my nvention and hence I do not limit myself to the particular Construction and arrmgement of pa'ts shown and described; but,

Having fnlly described my nvenion, what I claim as new, and desii'e to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The COlllbllLLOll, with two piatos provided with interlocking dowel and sookets, of :L hasp oi' 1001) hi'ged to one plate, and :L sp'g-pressed eztch or bolt provided with :L proiect'on ftdit] ting it to he retmoted by hand, said catch 01' bolt being eonstrneted and ar- 'mged to detehibiy secure the free end of the hasp or loop to the hasp-pizte, snbstmtiaily ns set forth.

2. Dhe eomhnation, with two plates provided with intel-looking dowel and sockets, one plate being provided with a hollow box or projeotion, of a spring-actuated hand-catch located within said hollow box, and a loop or hasp hinged to the plate provided with the catch or bolt, and adapted to be locked thereto. and also interlock at its free end with the other plzte, subst-mtially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnessest GILBERT II. BLAKESLEY.

i t-nesses S. G. NO'PTINGIIAM, GEO. F. DowNINo. 

